 | Pastor Dave grew up in northern New Jersey in a very diverse cultural area. He attended Central College in Pella, Iowa received a BA in sociology and psychology. He was an offensive guard for their NCAA Div III National Championship team in 1974. In speaking for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, he sensed a call to full time ministry. Meeting is future wife Sandy at Central, went to Michigan to finish her college while Dave started Western Seminary in Holland, Michigan. Dave married Sandy in 77 and completed his Masters of Divinity degree in 78. Pastor Dave’s first church was in Fort Lee, New Jersey, home of the George Washington Bridge. Their three children were born there and he also served as a Police and Fire Chaplain for the city. In February 1991, they came to Wichita to start Harvest Community Church. In 2006, he received his Doctor of Ministry degree from Covenant Theological (Presbyterian) Seminary in St Louis. During that year he gained a daughter-in-law with now 2 grandsons of 3 years and 6 months old. Besides Pastoring at HCC for the past 20 years, he has been Director of the SCSD & WPD Police Chaplains for 11.
|
Religion
2012-04-19 14:42:39
How to read the Bible
A: The Bible is the key to the Christian faith because it is “God’s word written to us.” It is His divine revelation to mankind with practical relevance. It is as Paul tells Timothy, “God breathed” {2 Timothy 3:16a} or “God inspired” using human authors who had their personal writing styles penning the very words of God. Some see it as a book of men’s thoughts about God but that is totally wrong and a heresy. Peter tells us that these are the words of God when he says in 2 Peter 1:20-21 “Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.” The Bible is special revelation to us otherwise we would not know the words of life or to eternal life. Look what man does with just general revelation through nature. Man worships the creation (ie. sun or moon) rather than the creator. {Romans 1:23} Man gives himself over to even more sinful and God despising acts rather than God honoring acts of righteousness {1:24-27}
That is why the scriptures have such a practical aspect and importance to the faith. First they teach us about salvation. They teach us about Jesus Christ and the Bible is His Story or some call it history. Christianity is a historic faith. John in his gospel and epistle write that very element by saying, “But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.” {John 20:31} and again in his epistle to assure us of our iron clad salvation, “ I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.” {1 John 5:13} That faith grows as we listen to it, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. {Romans 10:17}
The scriptures are important for practical living in the here and now. That we as individuals enjoy life to its fullest as Jesus says, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” {John 10:10b} That we don’t get side tracked by the allurements and enticements of this world. It’s a mirror to take a look at ourselves and see where we are missing God’s mark for this abundance as Paul was saying to Timothy, “is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” {2 Tim 3:16b-17} It also warns us of our enemy, the accuser, the devil who is seeking to destroy us {1 Peter 5:8} and our own sinful nature that can be very selfish and destroy all the good God gives us {Jeremiah 17:9}. It gives us direction like the 10 Commandments in Exodus 20 and gives us God’s standard like verse 14, “You must not commit adultery.” Then throughout scriptures you see God’s people deal with this like Joseph who was strong in the Lord and was victorious {Genesis 39} or David {2 Samuel 11, Psalm 32, 51} who failed and experienced God’s forgiveness but consequences. How Jesus took it to a higher level {Matthew 5:28} and how Job who protected himself in a covenant he made. {Job 31:31} In fact, part of our question is about the Old Testament and it is so relevant not only with the laws, but how people work at living Godly lives in a fallen world. As the reader watches God’s people Israel and individuals struggle in their faith journeys. Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:6 says it well, “These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did.”
Now if this is the first time you are going to read the Bible get the New Living Translation or a paraphrase like The Living Bible so it is easy to understand. Then go to the gospel of Matthew chapter 5 beginning at verse 11-12. Pray and ask the Lord to show you what you need to see and hear. Then Meditate or think on those verses in your mind. Ask first, “What did it mean to them in their time?” Second, “What timeless principle is here for all to see? (Is it saying something about God, or mankind, or behavior, etc) Third, “How does this apply to me? Is there something I need to change, or be aware of, or do differently, or enjoy about God or give thanks for or confess? Then pray and ask God to help you start putting it into practice.
Then each day, have a time when you get together with the Lord and listen to Him speak to you through His word and watch the changes to your life. Continue to go through Matthew paragraph by paragraph getting several applications asking those questions. If you are struggling with an issue or problem, get a concordance or Nave’s Topical Dictionary. Take a topic like “worry.” Read and meditate on the passages it gives you.
Believe me, it will change you! It changes me every time I meditate on it!
